October 5, 2015

One debate that doesn’t not seem to be going away when it comes to online life is the use of ad blockers.

In particular, the use of any ad blocking software on mobile devices has been at the center of attention since Apple introduced the ability to do so on its iPhones and iPads. Users rejoiced while advertisers and service providers collectively winced at the thought of lost revenue.

Yet, the question has remained as to whether enacting ad blockers is actually effective and if they make browsing on a mobile device any better.

The New York Times took it upon itself to not just ask that question, but answer it, too. The news source downloaded ad blockers on iOS devices as an experiment and discovered being online with a blocker creates a much more enjoyable surfing experience.

“For a number of websites that contained mobile ads with a lot of data, web page data sizes decreased significantly and load times accelerated enormously with ad blockers turned on. The iPhone’s battery life also improved — but more modestly — with ads removed,” reported The New York Times.

Yet, as PC Mag reported, users should also keep in mind blocking ads can have a direct impact on their favorite sites and news sources. Those sites rely on ad sales for finances and if the ads are blocked and can’t be seen companies and advertisers will take their business elsewhere.

It’s the proverbial double-edged sword with users expected to balance their own leisure and enjoyment with that of the financial needs of Internet sites.